Refrigerator-tank car



No. 625,439. Patented May'23, I899. C. EFROS.

REFRIGERATOR TANK CAR.

(Application filed Oct. 30, 1897.)

(No Modal.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR l QM zogm ATTORNEYS No. 625,439. Patented May 23,I899. c. ernos.

REFRIGERATOR TANK CAR.

(Application filed Oct. 30, 1897.)

2 Sheets$heet 2.

(No Model.)

Tia-.3.

INVENTOR cvwdew gym 8 E N R 0 I I A B WITNESSES: @Mm

c0, FNDTC-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. u. c,

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES EFROS, OF FAN\VOOD, NElV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHARLES EFROSCOMPANY, OF NEW JERSEY.

REFRIGERATOR-TANK CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,439, dated May 23,1899.

Application filed October 8 0, 1 8 9 '7.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES-EFROS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fanwood, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerator-TankCars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tank-cars, and has for its object to produce ameans for trans- [O porting fluids and treating the same while in thetank-car.

To this end my invention consists in the special matters pointed out inthe claims.

My invention will be understood by referring to the accompanyingdrawings, in

which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a car embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is an end view, partly broken away and in section; andFig. 3 is a broken-away plan section of the same.

Before describing my invention I will say that the object for which itwas devised was to enable me to run fluid into the tank, to freeze thesaid fluid while in the tank, to transport it in such congealedcondition, and thaw it out when it reaches the end of the journey, itbeing readily understood that a freezing mixture is run through thepipes when freezing is to be accomplished and a thawing mixture is runthrough the pipes when thawing is to be accomplished.

In the drawings, A indicates the box or body of a car, and B a tank ofordinary construction contained within the car. The tank is preferablycylindrical and placed with its axis horizontal, as shown; but theinvention may be employed with other forms of tanks. On top of the tankis a dome 1, provided with a filling-opening, which is closed by a cap2, and beneath the tank is a valve 3, through which the contents of thetank may be discharged.

To cool or warm the contents of the tank, I provide a series of coils 4,supported on rings 5, said rings being carried by brackets 6, attachedto the tank. The coils 4 are thus arranged in a circular series adjacentto the wall of the tank. -Another series of coils 7 run back and forthacross the tank horizontally in order to heat the middle portion ofSerial No. 656,870. (No model.)

the contents. As shown, these coils are con tinuous and the heatingorcooling fluid passes into one end 8 of the system and out through theother end 9.

A shaft 10, preferably angular in cross-section, but round at ends,extends centrally through the tank. At one end it is supported in abearing 11 and at the opposite end in a bearing 12. A central bearing 13is also pref- 6o erably provided. As shown, there is a journal 14,running in the bearing 13, and the shaft, which is made in two sections,is fitted into said journal. Additional bearings may be provided, ifnecessary. One end of the shaft passes through a stuffing-box 15, whichis preferably integral with a bracket 16, attached to the end of thetank. The stuffingbox is provided with suitable packing 17 and a gland18. An additional bearing 19 is also provided for the outer end of theshaft, said bearing resting on the bracket 16. At suitable intervalspaddles 20 are connected to the shaft, the function of the paddles beingto stir and circulate the contents of the tank. These paddles may be ofany suitable form and material. These paddles are preferably locatedbetween the adjacent portions of coils or pipes 7 7, as shown.

Suitable means are provided for applying 89 power to the shaft to rotatethe same. This may be accomplished by mounting a gear, pulley, orsprocket wheel on the end of the shaft and arranging to turn the samefrom a source of power outside the car. As shown, a worm-wheel 21 isconnected to the shaft and in mesh with the worm 22 upon the inner endof a shaft 23, which is carried in suitable bearings 24. The end of theworm-shaft ex tends to a small door 28 near the end of the car, whichdoor can be readily removed, if desired, to operate the paddles.

In order to prevent the temperature of the contents from being changedby exposure to the atmosphere, I preferably line the boX orv body of thecar with some non-conducting material. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thereis a lining 25 in addition to the outer covering 26. The dome may alsobe covered with a housing 27, as shown in Fig. 1, to afford additionalprotection.

The operation will be obvious from the fore= going description and needonly be briefly recited. The car is filled in the usual manner throughthe opening in the dome, and fluid, gas, or air, as the case may be, iscirculated through the coils 4 and 7 until the temperature of thecontents of the tank is raised or lowered to the desired degree. Inorder to make the temperature uniform throughout the mass to preventoverheating or overeooling of any portion of it, to prevent sedimentdepositing in the bottom, and for other reasons, the paddles 2Q areoperated while the heating or cooling medium is circulating in thecoils. As soon as the temperature has reached the desired degree thedoor 28 is closed, thus sealing the car, and the coils are emptied. Ifthe car he kept closed, the temperature in the tank will change veryslowly and the material may be transported a long distance withoutmaterial change of temperature. Having described my invention, what Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The combination ofa car having a closed box or body, a tank withinsaid box, coils within and adjacent to the wall of the tank,

additional coils arranged transversely in the middle of the tank, ashaft mounted in bearings within the tank and extending through astuffing-box in the end of the tank, paddles upon the shaft within thetank and suitable means connected to the projecting end of the shaft forturning the same, substantially as through the side thereof and providedwith stirrers or paddles intermediate of the additional coils and meansengaging with the shaft for rotating the same, whereby the contents ofthe tank may be cooled or thawed by the fluid flowing in the coils,which operation will be facilitated by the stirring.

CHARLES EFROS.

lVitnesses GEO. E. MORSE, CHARLES E. SMITH.

